Love and obsession: ascension
by As mad as one can get
Summary: Follow 'Serena' through new adventures as she try to undestand who she really is and come to terms with it.
1. Chapter 1

A.N. Here it is, the very fist chapter of Love and obsession's sequel. I know, I know, took me long enough, but I started writhing a Star Wars fic so it took me more than what I had expected to start uploading it, sorry. I wasn't going to upload it in this site, but after a request from cuteknight101 I change my mind, cuteknight101 here it is, hope you'll enjoy it. =)

Love and obsession: ascension

1 Clean state

The forest canopy swayed under the soft wind's caress, the newly raising sun splashing its light across the lightning sky painting it in fiery autumn colours. As the happy chirps of the birds raised from the tree branches towards the star above, whispers sounded from inside the forest's mists, language as soft as the breeze circling around to the privileged who understood its meaning, its nature. As if, emanated from the trees themselves, two prone figures emerged from the shadows towards a near clearing.

One could almost hear the childish laughter as the mischievous wind folded and intertwined their long tresses so alike waves in the ocean, standing at the heigh of six feet five, they made for a impressive view. One with her hair as silver as the moon shinning over them at night, the other of an blue so dark it seemed almost black, its silken beauty enticed the most unaware. Their, equally, pearly white skin was as much a match with the silver haired, making her look like a somewhat ethereal apparition, as it completely clashed with the midnight-blue hair of the other turning her dark mop into a enticingly lascivious black mass. The silver's big eyes brightened, its various tones of violet lightning up with the rising of the new day, wisdom that betrayed the young appearance her physical beauty granted her with shinning in their mist.

"Mistress Athena shouldn't we be going on."

Athena look behind her, to look into golden eyes, her wisdom the only think she didn't saw mimicked in them, "don't worry Ashfrer we still have time," the older Helphidien reassured her apprentice as she set her hand on the trunk of an huge ancient oak beside her. _There's a change in the air, something dark is coming. _

"Mistress," Ashfrer called unsure, the High Priestess and been behaving rather oddly the last days and she hadn't been able to deal with the uneasiness of the whole situation. There was definitively something bothering High Priestess Athena, but whatever it was the regal Helphidien had kept it to herself. Ashfrer felt frightened as a thought occurred her, the sight, had her Mistress saw something endangering their people future, but if so, why hadn't she gone to the King? Why had see kept quiet?

"Ashfrer," Athena called, taking her off her musings, "let us continue."

A frowning Ashfrer follow after Athena towards the clearing ahead of them. Ankle-long grass undulating at the wind's touch made the illusion of a green ocean waving around them. A small path linked the forest line with the centenary whipping willow in the clearing centre. The majestic tree clearly raised above all other in the dense forest around it. Mid way through the path the High Priestess stifled before falling to her knees gasping for air. The scared Helphidien rushed to her Mistress side kneeling beside her. Before Ashfrer could inquire Athena about the cause of her sudden illness an huge surge of power threw the two being into their backs. The ground trembled under them as a column of blinding blue light descended from the sky. The two Helphidien raised their hands in front of their widening eyes as the light started to fade. Astonishment washed over them at the sight before their eyes, an unconscious girl laid sprawled by the sacred willow's trunk.

Athena, the first to pull herself together, jump to her feet before sprinting towards her, Ashfrer just behind her. The older Helphidien crouched beside the stranger, her eyes widening when falling over the dagger-like fang deeply embedded into the girl's chest. She knew exactly to what kind of best the fang belonged to. There wasn't any time to lose if she wanted to save the dormant girl.

"Mistress, she's a human," Ashfrer said the moment her eyes laid on the girl's round ears.

Athena shook her head, she already knew that, that had been the first thing she had checked when she hadn't recognised the girl, "Ashfrer go to my quarters and bring me my travelling bag, now Ashfrer," she ordered when the blue-headed didn't move. She returned her attention to the young human female. It seemed the stranger had lost a considerably amount of blood easing the poison's work considerably. Athena searched for a heartbeat, sighing relieved when founding one, It was a faint one, but it was still there. Pulling a small silver dagger from inside her sleeve, the Helphidien cut her index finger, as the blood started to flow Athena settled her finger on the human's temple. With a swift stroke of her bloodied appendix she drawn a vertical line, lowering her attention to the girl's chest, Athena ripped open the clothes surrounding the fang. Making use of fast strokes, she positioned her finger to the left inferior of it before marking the skin with another vertical line, her finger stopping when it was positioned a third above the wound, a descending line stopping only when it was on the right side of the wound and directly parallel to it was formed next. The final stroke was another vertical line, starting where the descending line had ended and stopping parallel to the first vertical one. The,now, finished rune started pulsating. A sickly greenish fog started to raise itself from the girl's body and when it seemed all her body was covered in it, the fog started to slid towards the fag. Slow at first, but starting to become increasingly fast, the fog clashed with the fag and was absorbed by it. By the end of it, when the last wisp of the green mist was absorbed, the fang raised itself above the girl's chest before suddenly felling beside her body, a foul smell attacked Athena senses as the fang started to melt away as if bathed in acid. By then, the rune on the human's temple started its work, a hint of blueish hues on the girl's skin.

Athena raised her head to welcome the return of her apprentice, her bag securely on the other's hands.

"Mistress," Ashfrer called, the question noticeable of her voice.

"Come Ashfrer, I need your help," the silver haired indicated.

Only then did the young Ashfrer approached the dormant girl, "will she be okay," the Helphidien asked as she helped Athena disrobe the stranger.

"She will," Athena reassured Ashfrer as her eyes scanned the woman-child naked body in search of any other injuries, but luckily, apart from some bruises and scratches everything seemed to be in order. A cut on the girl's left temple made her a little anxious, but there wasn't nothing she could do about it before the girl's awakening. Being sure there wouldn't be any other thing compromising the girl's health, Athena stripped her outer tunic and, with Ashfrer help, dressed the girl in it. It was far too long for the girl's meager four foot seven, but it would have to do for now. Grabbing a small pouch from inside her bag, Athena instructed Ashfrer to stay by the human's side as she raised to her feet and opening the pouch she started circling them, the silver powder falling from it forming a perfect circle on the ground. The moment the circle was complete, the High Priestess took a pinch from the powder and, entering the circle, started forming a set of runes inside the circle. The first was closely similar to an R, the second seemed like a M and the third and final one resembled a P. Magic hummed around them moments after they disappeared along with any indication of their presence.

…...

The rather large and spacious chamber was silently empty, on a far corner a fire burned, a medium-seized cauldron hanged above it secured in place by a chain coming from the ceiling. Around the fire a circle of stones seemed to contain it inside, a minuscule rune resembling a V tilted to the right engraved into each one of them. Immediately to its left side, various kinds of herbs hanged in different stages of dryness, under them row after row of several jags, vials and flasks lied neatly arranged by some unknown order. After it stood a large wood table, completely bare apart from a big tome on its centre opened at a seemingly random page, its ancient sheets yellowed with the passage of time had started to shred on the pages' corners. Whatever was the book's contents, impossible to discern unless its reader was knowledgeable with the fulpark. Beside the table, numerous rocks and pebbles had been set on different shelves, right after it was the fire-pit, the room was of a perfect circular shape and on its centre only a engraved silver line could be seen.

Magic tickled in the engraved circle before the three travellers appeared inside it.

All around the circle inner border twenty four different runes were noticeable. With precise movements, the older Helphidien steeped in the rune directly to her left, as if under a command, silver light emanated from the circumference on the ground, the scenery around it changing drastically in mere moments. As soon as the silver light faded, the two Helphidien woman grabbed the human and carried her to what resembled to be some sort of bed. The strange piece of furniture seemed to have been formed from the room's walls and ground as if it was a part of it and not something that had been put in there.

With extreme care, the two woman began their work. Athena undressed the unconscious girl as Ashfrer steeped into the circle disappearing to appear some time after with all they would need.

The silver-haired started cleaning the human's body with the lukewarm water as soon as she was sure the chamomile, ginger and lemon verbena's properties had been adequately absorbed by it. "Ashfrer, why have I used the uruz rune on her wound," Athena questioned her apprentice as she continued her ministrations.

"The aurochs rune, when used to heal, is incredibly useful especially when used against poisoned or infected injuries. Its unparalleled proprieties forces any kind of poison or otherwise dangerous foreign substances to return to their original place, after achieving it, one must immediately remove the compromised area, may it be an object or the small piece of skin from where it had started to spread," Ashfrer answered sure of herself.

"Good, now, why the rune on her temple and why haven't I removed it?"

"Isa, the ice rune. It stops the flow of time, it's used for healing only in extreme situations. Its ability to stop time is of great importance when an injury could have deadly consequences allowing healers enough time to tend for the wounds or injuries properly, but.." Ashfrer stopped unsure.

"You were doing well Ashfrer, continue," Athena ordered.

"But it shouldn't be used carelessly, because of its incredible power, if the patient isn't strong enough to fight off its power, he/she could never wake up again!" Ashfrer nibbled on her lower lip nervously, "Mistress, do you think she, will wake up," the Helphidien asked.

Athena sighed, she had known it was a risk to use the ice rune on a human, but by the look of things the girl wouldn't have resisted otherwise, she frowned, there was still too soon for her to remove the rune and only then would she know if the girl was strong enough to wake up. "Perhaps," she said as she finished cleaning the dormant girl and dressed her in a clean tunic leaving the chest unbutton to be able to easily assess the wound. "Now," Athena said calling Ashfrer attention to herself, "you will continue from here.

Golden eyes blinked a couple of times before understanding her Mistress test, fetching the jar she had brought, Ashfrer started spreading the herbal anti-septic balsam over the large wound making sure to completely cover it up.

"Are you done?"

Ashfrer smiled at the tricky question before rinsing her hands of any remaining balsam on the water that had been used to wash away the dirt and blood from the girl's form. Wiping them off on a clean cloth, she them proceeded to retrieve a dagger similar to her Mistress' and cutting her index she then draw a vertical line going from the human's bellybutton to her chest, she then drew a pair of descending lines, one to the right the other to the left until they were a third way down. The new rune seemed a arrow without any feathers. "Teiwaz, to quicken the healing process," Ashfrer concluded.

"Well done Ashfrer," Athena said satisfied.

…...

A pair of deep forest green eyes fluttered open, raising into a seat position the teenager look around surprised when not finding any windows or doors and intrigued with the fact that, despite that, she was quite able to see her surroundings. Apart from her strange bed there wasn't anything more on that room. After a couple of minutes studying it she noticed a silver circle engraved on the room's floor. Bolting off the bed, she stood up, she felt surprised when her bare feet touched the floor. She had expected it to feel cold, but surprisingly enough it was warm. She advanced towards the circle, wanting to take a better look at it, but before she cold get near it, a silver light raised from it and two woman appeared inside it.

"Hnh," she let out as she stared at them. They were both tall, very tall, more than six feet she assumed and both wore their hair lose behind their back. She widened her eyes when she noticed their uncommon colours, one's was a curtain of a shinning silver that gone all the way to her ankles the other's naturally ruffled one had seemed black at first, but a second glance showed her that it was in fact dark blue.

The silver- haired looked at her with kind purple eyes, "how are you feeling?"

"O, okay, I guess," where was she.

"I brought you new cloths," the blue-headed told her, her golden eyes locked into her green ones.

"Child, what is your name," the first asked.

"I," the girl started before closing her mouth, a lost look on her face, "don't know!"


	2. Chapter 2

A.N. Hi there, here it is, another chapter for you all, hope it will be of your liking. Also, if you like Star Wars fics and you like out of the ordinary ships there are a couple of stories I recommend you to read, Hellfire and Deception in Starlight both from the amazing chameleon_irony. They're one shots, but the writer had revealed interest in further continuing them. Lets keep our fingers crossed. WARNING, the shipping his Palpatine/Padmé, if that pairing make you want to gag or simply does not interest you, PLEASE, just don't read it, he/she is a wonderful writer and do not deserve any king of angry flames just because you don't approve of this ship.

2 Outsider

**Before**

"I," the girl looked at them as if lost, "don't know!"

**Now**

"Well, that will definitively complicate things," the silver haired added, "please, fallow us, you must be starving."

After a momentary hesitance, the young human followed both of them into the circle engraved on the ground, the purple eyed, who was obviously the one in charge, steeped on a couple of the symbols engraved in its brim. A surprised "oh" escaped her gawking mouth as silver light emerged from the ring surrounding them before her surroundings were suddenly switched by new ones. She followed them out of the ring as she looked around, her eyes taking in all the details.

"Come, let us sit."

The girl followed their example taking a seat at the wooden table she had noticed during her earlier browse of the place. The young human probably should have being scared with the sudden appearance of food and drink, but it just felt somewhat natural to her, _why is that, I wander?_

"Please, serve yourself," the silver haired advised motioned to the food, as the girl started piling various fruits in her plate the purple eyed proceeded with her promised explanation. "My name is Athena, and this unusually silent Helphidien is my apprentice Ashfrer."

The young human nodded her understanding, "Pleasure, I would love to show to you the same confidence you have shown to me, but..."

"You can not remember your name," Athena finished for her.

"Yes," the girl responded, her voice laced with fear and apprehension.

"What do you remember," Athena continued, maybe the girl's head injury was worst than she thought.

"I," the human's mind was assaulted by a blur of pictures and sounds, "I," she repeated as she desperately tried to gasp to one of the memories, but they escaped through her fingers like sand.

Athena grabbed the girl's shoulder, relaxing the girl through her touch as she extended her aura to the girl in order to appease her apprehension, "it's alright, don't worry, I'm sure it is not permanent."

The girl shook the distress away, feeling suddenly calmer she resumed eating as the Helphidien continued her explanation.

"We need to choose you a name then," Athena mused, he can not continue to call you child, "huh, I do not know many human names. What about Cassiopeia?"

The girl simply stared at her unsure of the possible outcome if that was an example of the names she would have to choose from.

"I see that is not of your liking, hnm, Shiva, Birkita, Fionn..."

The girl arched a brow, none of those names really seemed to fit her.

Athena chuckled at the human's exasperated expression, "maybe Aithne, the name surely fits."

"Helena, what about Helena," Ashfrer talked for the first time that day, her golden eyes locked into the girl's green ones.

The human stopped eating, Helena, the name sounded somewhat familiar to her, "Helena," she tried tentatively, "Helena, it sounds.. right?"

Athena glanced at Ashfrer, but her young apprentice just looked back at her, her eyes unblinking. "well then, welcome Helena," Athena replied, " we were expecting for you to awaken so you cold tell us from where you came from, but under your current circumstances that had turned out to be impossible."

"So, none of you have any hint from where I am," Helena stated disappointed.

"I'm sorry child, but we don't tend to mingle with humans, not even magical ones like yourself."

"Magical ones, like myself?"

_This is so going to take forever,_ Ashfrer ruminated as she eyed her two companions sourly.

…...

Athena proceeded forward across the windowless, door-less, luminescent corridors towards the throne room, but as soon as she found herself in the magnificent chamber, she stopped herself at its entrance and waited for a suitable time to address the sovereign. She watched silently as the King got up from his oak throne and approached the elders that stood around him. A map was handled to him from one of his advisers, his countenance seemingly concerned as he scanned it. But her wait was far from long as the king raised his dark green eyes from the parchment in his hands to her unmoving form.

"Sister," the King beckoned lovingly, "come, do not let yourself be hindered from asking for my time."

Athena smiled at her brother as she approached him as well as all his counsel, the six elder Helphidien. She offered her respect to the four women and two men in the form of a deep curtsy which the elders responded with a bow of their own, although not as deep as hers it still demonstrated their confidence in their spiritual leader.

"If you can excuse us, I think this would have to wait until tomorrow," the sovereign asked his councillors before motioning for his sister to follow him through the room and into one of the many corridors connected to the camber. "Now, what was so important to make you leave your beloved solitude to come to the palace?"

Athena smiled at her brother's playful jab as they crossed another corridor, he knew she needed the peace only solitude provided in order to be able to properly meditate, " I presume Ashfrer told you about our recent discovery at the feet of the sacred willow."

"Indeed, but she didn't advanced any other detail apart from that the outlander is an magical young human female that was found in the brink of death," the monarch said as their path led them to the outside gardens.

"That is correct Deadmon and the child as finally recovered from her injuries, but..." Athena accented as she watched (and felt) the lively gardens.

"But?"

"But I'm afraid one of her injuries could have caused her memory loss," the Priestess revealed concerned.

"That is rather unfortunate, how great was the memory loss," Deadmon asked scratching his chin thoughtfully.

Athena sighed before letting out,"she don't even recalls her own name," exasperation evident in her voice.

"That will certainly difficult our attempts to return her to her people," the King said absent-minded as they continued their stroll through-out the flora encircling them.

"I do not think that returning her would be the wisest choice right now."

Deadmon gave his sister an bitter-sweet smile, "Athena, I know you would prefer to keep her near until you are sure she would be alright, but we can not keep her with us indefinitely, you know that."

"I know brother, but my concerns are well funded. The residual magical power left by her attacker showed, without a doubt, that it was human, but.. regarding the method used to dispose of what her attacker though to be a body, it was clearly Helphidien!"

Deadmon turn in his heels to confront his sibling face to face, " are you sure of this?"

"I am."

"Could it be one of Bricriu's schemes."

Athena shook her head, her purple eyes worried, "I do not know, perhaps," she said unsure.

"But why attack humans and attract their attention," he asked her surprised, " do you think she could be some kind of trap?"

"I truly do not know."

"Until all this can be sorted out, I think we should keep an eye on her, could you bring her here Athena? I want to see the girl for myself"

"Of course."

…...

"So, where are we going again," Helena asked as Ashfrer finished braiding the human's hair.

"I already told you, to the palace. There, finally," the golden eyed sighed as she finally managed to somehow tame the blond's unruly curls, "I can not farthom how you humans are able to keep your hair from turning into a rats nest!"

"Well, sorry if my hair isn't tangle and knot proof like yours," Helena snapped huffing, Helphidien were,well, Helphidien and she was merely human. There wasn't any possible comparison between the two species. Ever since her first contact with the god-like beings she had become increasingly aware of their 'superiority'. From their perfectly organised society, where Helphidien from all echelons were treated equally and with the respect of a people who knew that even the most simple of tasks was important in the great scheme of things, where their elders were treated with deference and their knowledge and wisdom was cherished and **used **and they lived in perfect harmony with nature in the forest that served as their home. They were prideful sentients, compassionate, but oh so patronising.

Ashfrer smirked amused by the girl's attics, the young human was an whirlwind of emotions, she almost made the apprentice's head spin with the speed her emotions changed. But Ashfrer was far from feeling annoyed by this, truth be told she rather enjoyed Helena's gaiety and sassy attitude. "That's because Helphidien are a superior race," the dark blue haired said as she masked her satisfaction as Helena's brow twitched in vexation.

"Are you two ready," Athena's voice sounded from behind them, the reminiscences of silver light fading around the ring.

"Yes Mistress, we are done," Ashfrer nodded as the High Priestess closed the gap between them.

"You two look lovely, I see I have chosen your garments well," Athena told them as she appraised their groomed appearance. Ashfrer's lavender tunic and Helana's ocean one complemented perfectly their semblances. "We better get going before we end up being late," the moon kissed haired said ushering them into the silver circle. Their forms disappeared the moment Athena steeped away from the last symbol.

…...

Helena looked around excitedly as their new surroundings started to become distinct, they had been transported into a corridor similar to her room, no doors or windows blemished the tunnel-like corridor, but somehow she could see perfectly! It was like, like.. the walls themselves illuminated their path! The awed struck girl followed behind the two Helphidien silently as she continued looking at everywhere stupefyingly. Probably it was her lack of attention, or maybe her terrible navigating skills or even, as many would think long after it happened, fate, but she soon found herself separated from her two companions. Scared she whirled around, but she could not find any hint that could point her towards the right direction. Athena and Ashfrer where nowhere to be seen, she wasn't even capable of hearing their footsteps any more. _Okay, stay calm. I only need to stay put, there are bound to find out I'm missing and come back for me. _Helena took a deep breath before leaning her back against the uneven wall, unfortunately her peace was short lived as she jolt away from the wall screeching, _what on bloody hell? _She could have swore she felt the wall move, nervously, she advanced towards the wall again. Her outstretched hand twitched as she gulped, _just a wall, it's just a wall._ She touched it, and after a couple of breathless moments, she sighed relieved, _just a bloody wall ._Helena pull back her hand as she felt it again, her eyes focused in the wall in front of her, _is that.. veins?_ "Fuck this, I'm out of here," she cried out as she dashed further into the corridor.


	3. Chapter 3

A.N. This chapter is dedicated to Trogo and XxBishxX for their lovely reviews, thanks and I do hope you will continue to bear with me. As for the rest of you, sorry for the slow update, I had a little accident and was out of commission for a while, nothing too serious, but still… Now, let's go on with the story.

3 Virtuous circle

**Previously**

Jumping backwards the fearful girl increased the distance between her and the seemingly alive wall, a gasp fled her parched lips as she noticed with her very eyes veins-like tendrils pulsing beneath its somewhat translucent surface. In a flash she had whirled around and run away from the freaky place, her mad dash only leading her further inside the unknown maze formed by the cocoon-like countless corridors.

**Now**

Helena rushed through the numerous corridors hopping to encounter her lost friends, even if her mind advised her about the foolishness of such supposition. Out of breathe she end up stopping in a corridor identical to all the others she had already crossed. _What now,_ she whined confused, how would she be able to navigate in such a place?! Taking a look around, she noticed the fork ahead splitting the corridor in two. She bit her bottom lip nervously, _left or right,_ she mused unsure. Sighing tiredly, she shook her head, "it's not like it makes any difference anyway I'm already lost." She advanced into the one to her left, her steeps calmer than before. Again she was confronted with another bifurcation, arching a brow to whatever deity was messing with her, Helena continued to her left, _it's a decision as good as any other._

The fussing girl's steeps lead her into a large chamber, as windowless and door-less as any other part of such strange place; the room seemed to be some kind of vault or so the various pieces of evidently valuable jewellery scattered around hinted to. Awe-struck the girl continued advancing, her head jolting from side to side as she tried to imprint such wonders into the deeps of her mind. She ogled the treasures safely guarded in the multiple different sized display cases all around the room, each and every single piece seemed to be given similar importance, big, small, silver, platinum, gold. With beautifully made engravings or large shinning stones in all the colours of the rainbow, all 'felt' equally important as they rested neatly placed on the pedestals around the chamber. As she gazed marvelled at all the wonders laid before her eyes a blue hue coming from somewhere in the back of the room pick up her attention, "who's there," she called as her spirits brightened with the possibility of having founding someone to help her out of the situation she had put herself in. "Hey, wait up," she shout pleadingly as she rushed to the back of the chamber as the light started to faint. "But, there's no one here," she mused out loud as she scanned her premises. "Maybe I just imagined it," Helena let out absently as she made sure there wasn't any other exit besides the one she had used to enter the room. From the corner of her eyes she noticed the same blue light shining again, turning in her heels she prepared herself to face whoever was obviously playing with her only to gap at the golden necklace laying innocently under a glass-dome,_ the light, it's coming from the jewel?!_ In her astonishment Helena jumped back, but in her rush she missed her steep falling hard on her backside, "ouch, this will definitely leave a mark," she moaned rising to her knees and massaging her sour behind, a frown marking her features. Helena returned her attention to the delicate-looking object in front of her and stood still as she waited for something more to happen.

_I'm going out of my mind_, she thought narrowing her eyes at the jewel, had it all been a product of her hyperactive imagination? Helena motioned to rise to her feet when an unknown force forced her forward, caught off guard and fearing a nasty fall she hold on to the base of the column where the necklace waited. Time seemed to stop as the glass-dome turn to dust and disappeared, the necklace (as if sensing its freedom) ascended in the air, the blue light shining brighter and brighter until Helena was forced to avert her eyes and soon she saw herself obliged to shield her face with her hands. She vaguely took notice of her tresses whipping around her face as a strong wind started to pick up and whirl around her and then, as quickly as it had started, it simply ended.

Stunned, the young girl slowly lowered her hands and cracked an eye open. Everything seemed back to normal, well, as normal as it had been before. Helena blinked a few times when her eyes fell on the column again, **"oh no**," she said stressfully, "where is it," she wailed as her mind finally registered what had happened, the necklace had vanished. Helena crouched down and frantically searched the ground below the column, but found nothing. She cringed, how was she going to explain it to Athena and Ashfrer? Noise coming from the corridor outside pulled her wandering mind to the present. _Oh no, not now_, why couldn't they had found her sooner, before she fell in that mess?!

"Helena, finally we found you," Athena said from the entrance, "haven't I told you to stay close," the Helphidien chastised as she crossed the room towards the raising human girl. Ashfrer following behind, they had asked for help in their search it seemed because with them a dozen or so Helphidien eyed her curiously from the entrance. The unsettled young human gulped as she raised herself from the ground, as if it wasn't bad enough for her to have to explain everything that happened to the two Helphidien she had grown used to now she needed to do it in front of complete strangers, she gulped.

"Sekhmet's necklace," Ashfrer gawked.

Helena blushed, and then paled before blushing again. Her eyes flied from the empty column to the Helphidien watching her strangely and vice versa. "I'm truly sorry," she babbled trying to explain. "After we arrived here I got a little distracted and get lost and then I got scar… uh," the human caught herself before she could say something she could regret latter. Did she really want to insult her new made friends by calling the royal palace 'seriously weird place', she licked her lips nervously. "When I tried to find my way back I end up even more disoriented and end up in here. I probably shouldn't have entered," she consented somewhat guiltily down-casting her eyes, "but there wasn't anything stopping or even warning people to stay away." She sighed tiredly, even to her hears her excuse sounded lame, "look, I'm sorry for the necklace and I will help you search for it, but I didn't touch it, I swear!"

"What do you mean, 'search for it'," Athena asked arching a perfect shaped silver brow at the shame-ridden girl.

"But, the necklace," Helena asked eyeing the still empty column, "it's gone. Isn't it," the bemused human mumbled.

"No," Ashfrer told her calmly, "it's around your neck!"

This time it was Helena's time to gap at Ashfrer before shaking off her surprise and raising tentative fingers to her throat. She was unable to contain the squeal that escaped from inside her mouth as shaking fingertips brushed against a large bluish stone dangling from a golden chain she had around her neck. "Wha… what?!" Helena looked horrified, how come the jewel had turned up on her! What if they thought she had tried to sneak it out, but had been caught before she could continue with her plan? She started hyperventilating. "I haven't even touched it, I SWEAR," she cried. "You have to believe me," she begged as she desperately tried to rip the jewel from her neck only for it to flow between her fingers as if she was trying to grab water.

Athena shook her head tiredly before glancing at the disgruntled girl again. "Helena," she said calmly, "we know," she reassured.

Helena's frenetic eyes snapped back to Athena's and for a moment the human could have sworn she had glimpsed Athena's eyes shine with something akin to, sadness?

"Helena," Ashfrer called taking her out of her stupor, "what is it," she questioned the blond when noticing the girl uncommon stillness.

"I, uh… nothing," she said as she tried to reinsure Ashfrer as much as herself, "just my mind playing tricks on me, but, did you say you knew?!" Helena asked redirecting the conversation back to Athena, "how?"

"Let's just say it has a mind of its own," the high priestess said avoiding the subject.

"What do you mean by that," Helena asked tensely, she was far from letting the matter slip.

"Never mind child," Athena brushed off, "I wasn't expecting such an outcome," the silver haired mused out loud as she raised her hand to her chin in thought. "We need to meet with my brother," she informed the Helphidien escorting them. "He needs to be informed of this new development."

"At once," one of them complied taking a step forward and nodding his understanding at the high priestess. Helena took the opportunity to study this new character. Of only a couple of inches taller than Athena or Ashfrer this new male Helphidien seemed to instil respect by his mere presence. His bearing denoted the refinement of a high birth and the little knowledge she had managed to gain from her short stay among such proud race was enough for her to recognise his garments as ones of a high station. His hair caught her attention next, not because of any unusual about it per say, its dark brown colour as worthy of raising anyone's interest as it was its straight nature, but either its length. It was the first time she saw a Helphidien with short hair! She had even suspected they had something against cutting it; it appeared she had been too hasty in her judgement.

At an almost imperceptible sign from him another Helphidien advanced forward and giving a short bow left in a haste. _A messenger, perhaps?_

"Let us continue then," he advised.


End file.
